The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-11-25
TINS Is BuaIsEss.
The Council Puts in an Evening at Hard
Work--Many Matters Considered.
A Chemical Engine and Fire Exiting
uishers Ordered-N No More Lights
New Election Districts.
Matters Badly Mixed on the Sewer
Contract-Biils and Estimates Al
iowed-Other Business.

nACA PAOSOnlJ nao 1hyOr 1Aau III bho
chair.
The minutes of the preceding meeting
were read and approved.
PETITIONS AND APPLICATIONS.
A communication was received from
the Board of Trade asking the council to
provide better fire protection, and to
purchase a chemical engine. Ordered
placed on file.
A communication was received from
Mr.. E.. B. Trowbridge asking to be APP
pointed wood inspector.
REPORTS OF COMMITTEES.
Alderman Patterson, from the water
committee, reported that Hubbard &
Co., would do the pumping for the city
at the rate of $500 per year for FIVE
years, and $500 for the succeeding five
years, if they would purchase a new
pump. They would also put IN their
own pump, at what price was not ascer-
tanned. The company wanted the pump
lowered, at a cost of about 81 900. He
also reported that the sand pump had
been purchased and had arrived. The
report was ordered placed on file.
Alderman Schiman, from the gas COM.
mittee, reported that, as it was getting
to be SO late and the ground was 30 fro
zen that the posts could not be placed in
position, the petition of residents in the
fourth ward for electric lights be laid
over until spring. On motion of Aid.
Patterson the report was adopted, to s..
Aldermen Alberger, Dougherty, Parry,
Pitcher and Wood voted in the negative.
Aid. Boegen moved that the city engi-
neer look up the contract with Hubbard
& Co., and ascertain whether the COM
pany can sell water on its own account.
He wanted the matter aired.
The committee on fire department re-
ported that 500 feet of cotton hose had
been purchased, and recommended the
purchase of fifty-gallon chemical en-
CINE and two small fire extinguishers,
the latter to be placed In the West Man
kato station. The report was unanl-
mously adopted, and the committee
authorized to make the purchase.
The mayor stated that he had received
a communication from Mr.. j. G. Roller
asking that the Cherry street market be
removed from its present location, as it
lnterfered with his business. Referred
to the committee on markets.
The city engineer reported that work
on the sewer was progressing q little
more rapidly than at the last report.
He had not allowed any further esti-
mate, as no affidavit had been made that
the workmen had been paid.
REPORTS OF OFFICERS.
The report of the Chief of Police for
November was received, and showed if
teen arrests and seven dodgers.
The report of the treasurer was re-
ceived, as follows:
On hand Nov. lst....................$2, 82S. 46
Received during Nov. Including
$4,000 borrowed ......... ........10, 1880
Paid during November....... 80. 1856 IS
On hand Dec. 1st..................... SOFT. 6S
The report Of the street commissioner
showed $308. 80 expended on street re-
pairs, and 5000 on sidewalks during
November.
A committee of the Board of Trade APP
peared before the council and asked that
q chemical engine be purchased, but as
action had already been taken on the
matter, nothing was done with the re-
quest. One of the committee felt much
aggrieyed because the newspapers had
stated the true condition of the fire pro-
lection Of the city.
The matter of re-districting the city
into election districts was brought up by
Alderman Patterson. The city attorney
stated that the new election law required
that no election district should poll more
than 400 votes. New districts should be
made six weeks before the election. and
map of the districts should be made
out and given to three judges of election,
who should be appointed by the council.
The aldermen Of the first and fourth
wards, those wards polling more than
400 votes each, and the city attorney and
city engineer were appointed commit
tee to divide the first and second wards
into two districts each, and report at the
next meeting.
The usual number of bills we're al
lowed.
The matter of allowing the balance on
Mr.. John Mahowald's contract to grade
Walnut, Fifth and Second streets, 81 ,9e8,
led to sharp discussion Of the condition
in which the work has been left. Aid.
Patterson thought the contract had been
misrepresented when the council had
voted on It, and that the city had got
'sleft." The city attorney stated that the
contract did not require the contractor
to furnish any dirt that could not be OBJ
tanned on the streets graded. AS the
city engineer was blamed for the matter,
he stated that 1t was the understanding
that the filing was TO continue only 50
long as there was dirt to be bad on the
streets graded. Aid. Boegen was accused
Of ILLEGALLY appropriatinR portion Of the
dirt, and he explained the matter by
saving that he had taken about twenty
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